Carmelo Anthony weighed in on the GOAT conversation by imagining how Stephen Curry might see the hierarchy.
“In Steph’s eyes, right, think about what Steph probably thinks. I don’t know, but he probably sits there and says, ‘It’s Mike, it’s Kobe, and then it’s me.’ Right? He’s not gonna put Bron over himself.” Anthony said, framing the debate through a competitor’s self-belief rather than an analyst’s checklist.
Carmelo says that if he were in Steph’s shoes, he wouldn’t rank LeBron over him in the GOAT debate
“In Steph’s eyes, right, think about what Steph probably thinks. I don’t know, but he probably sits there and says, ‘It’s Mike, it’s Kobe, and then it’s me.’ Right? He’s not gonna… pic.twitter.com/DOS8UJh7lH
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 11, 2025
Curry’s resume offers its own gravity: four championships with Golden State, two MVPs including the first unanimous MVP, and a transformative impact on spacing, pace, and shot profile in the NBA.
His three-point shooting reoriented defensive schemes and player development, making him a legitimate fixture in any modern GOAT dialogue. Even those who rank others ahead of him tend to concede his singular influence on how the game is played.
LeBron James remains a pillar of the conversation with four MVPs, four championships, and the NBA’s all-time scoring record, alongside a two-decade run of elite play across roles and systems. Comparing Curry and LeBron often splits along values: transformation and perimeter gravity versus versatility, durability, and all-court control. Anthony’s framing recognizes that from a player’s vantage point, especially one as accomplished as Curry, self-placement at or near the summit is part of competitive reality.
